Dr Jim Wilson read genetics at the University of Edinburgh and continued to doctoral studies in human population genetics at New College, Oxford. In 2003 he moved back to Edinburgh where he holds a prestigious Royal Society research fellowship. His research interests revolve around understanding the patterns of human genetic variation, what they can tell us about our ancestry and their implications for our health. One focus is on the identification of genes predisposing to common killers such as heart disease and diabetes. He leads a large genetic epidemiology study in his native Orkney which has identified a number of disease susceptibility genes. Dr Wilson also specialises in human history — he was the first to identify the genetic signature of Viking ancestry in the British Isles and has since identified markers of Irish, Pictish, Anglo-Saxon and other ancestries. He spends a considerable amount of time explaining historical and medical genetics to the public through print and broadcast media, including various TV series, and is founder and managing director of the genetic ancestry testing company, EthnoAncestry.